Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-15
EASTERN NEWS.
Jake Sharp to be Impris.
Oned for Four Years.
OHIO PROHIBITION PLATFORM.
TrOubadOur Scores an Easy Vic
tory over The Bard for the
Monmouth Cup.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
New York, July 1i.-When Jacob
Sharp entered Court for sentence this
morning he was SO weak he had to
be supported. He was accompanied
by his son-in-law. The attorney for
the defense said the trial had been an
unfair one in several ways, and that
the jury had been prejudiced, and
therefore he moved for a new trial, but
the Court denied the motion.
THE SENTENCE.
Judge Barrett, in delivering the
sentence of Jake Sharp, said he had
never performed so delicate task in
all his professional career. He had
received many letters from many peo-
pie, pleading for mercy and otherwise,
but the Court was not appointed to be
merciful any more than was dictated
by the laws of justice. On the merits
of the case, the prisoner was GER
tainly entitled to none. 1t was absurd
% state that he was not guilty of
giving bribes, as he was un-
mistakably the leader in the
whole affair. The crime itself was
an enormous one--that OF raising hall
a million dollars to corrupt half of the
Legislature. Judge Barrett reviewed
the corrupt action of the defendant in
forming a bogus company to contract
with the Seventh Avenue railway, of
which he was a director, and alluded
to the defendants securing 81 ,000, 900
profit by sheer larceny, for which he
could have been indicted just as well
as for bribery.
"What is there" said the Judge,
"to excite pity except the age and i'll
health of the prisoner and the mourn
ing condition of his family? With
over 81 900 900 in his pocket, he clam
ors for mercy without offering to pay
back a penny of the money stolen, so
that should he die in prison his family
has vast fortune to fall back upon.
cat this Mrs. Sharp buried her face
in her hands and wept bitterly, while
the prisoner himself did not lift his
face from the table,
"The Legislature does not allow us
to go below the minimum penalty in
such grave offenses as the present one.
All cannot be satisfied--those who
clamor for the prisoners receiving the
full penalty of the law, and those
calling for reprimand. All things
have been considered, and the judg-
ment of the Court is that the prisoner
be confined four years at hard labor,
and that he pay fine of $4,000"
EFFECT ON TIE PRISONER.
Sharp received his sentence with
an air of stoical, resigned despair.
He was borne almost fainting out of
the court room. Mrs. Sharp was ter
ribly affected and gave way to uncon-
trollable emotion.
STAY OF PROCEEDINGS GRANTED.
Judge Potter, of the Supreme Court,
this afternoon granted stay in the
Sharp case until Monday next, and
issued an order requesting the District
Attorney to show cause on that day
why it should not be made permanent.
The stay was granted ON the affidavit
OF Sharp'S counsel that tney neeueu
more time to prepare bill OF excep-
tons.
JUDGE BARRETT's OPINION.
At the District Attorneys office it
was said that the conviction of Sharp
made the way clear to the conviction
of the rest of the ''boodlers." ''No
more trials will take place till next
fall" Judge Barrett said, in an inter-
view which he had during the pro-
gress Of the Sharp trial. He had be-
come so thoroughly convinced of the
rascality of the whole lot of bribe-
givers and bribe-takers that he would
not have anything more to do with
them. As to Richmond and Kerr, he
said they were bribed beyond all
doubt.